Surviving Without You
by softballgal13
Summary: Dante is a famous detective who is sent overseas to take down an infamous mob boss. But, what happens when he accidentally brings his work home with him?
1. Goodbye For Now

Author's Note: Here's a new story idea I pulled out of my head. Tell me what you think!

* * *

Background story: A/R, but Dante is a very prestigious detective. After Carly's revenge plan fell apart, Brook Lynn was sent to jail for credit card fraud, attempted rape, prostitution, and theft (stealing money from Edward) and Carly would have been sent to jail but she went crazy and was sent to Shadybrook. Michael still lives with Dante and Lulu. The truth about the revenge plan brought them much closer, and they got married about a month before this story takes place. Josslyn and Morgan went to live with Jax after Carly was sent to jail. Other pairings include: Maxie/Lucky, Ethan/Kristina, Nikolas/Elizabeth, Olivia/Steve. Oh, and people don't hate them anymore! Yay!

* * *

"Do you really have to go?" Lulu murmured, staring into Dante's eyes. They were on the couch after an incredible display of passion and love, Lulu sitting on his lap with their foreheads pressed together and their arms wrapped around each other.

"Mmm, I thought we went over this already," he replied.

"Yeah, but I was hoping I heard you wrong."

Dante chuckled under his breath and said, "Yes, I do have to go."

"How long?" she asked.

"Anywhere between one and nine months."

"And I can't even write you a letter or something?" she asked.

"I wish you could, but it's too dangerous. What if they find out and target you?"

Lulu groaned and leaned back on couch, sticking out her bottom lip and giving puppy dog eyes.

"Sorry, babe. It's already set," Dante said.

Lulu sighed and responded, "I know. I know, I know, I know," she repeated to herself. "I'm just going to miss you so much!"

"I'm going to miss you too, Mrs. Falconeri," he said causing Lulu to smile at her new name and kissing his wife tenderly on the lips. His hands moved down to her hips, pulling him closer to him.

Lulu reluctantly pulled back saying, "I would love to, but Michael's going to be home soon."

Dante moaned. "I thought he was with Kristina."

"Well, yeah, he said he wanted to let us be alone, which he did. But I just feel so bad! Like, he lives here, and we're kicking him out so we can have sex. I told him he had to be back at six. Or else," Lulu rambled.

"Or else what?" Dante asked amused.

"Or else there would be severe consequences," Lulu said.

"Well then, we should probably go get dressed."

Five minutes later, Michael used his usual procedure when coming home, which he started using after Dante and Lulu got married. He rang the doorbell as a warning and waited a few minutes before using the key to open the door to the house, making sure they had enough time to get dressed, etc.

Michael walked in to see Dante and Lulu sitting on the couch watching TV. _Yeah, right_, he thought. _I'm not that stupid._

"Hey, guys," he greeted them.

"Hey, Michael," Lulu replied. "Um, what do you want to do for dinner?"

"I think it's up to Dante," he said, turning to look at his brother.

"Pizza's good," Dante said, picking up the phone to order.

An hour later, Dante was getting ready to leave while Lulu stood over by the door looking upset. He walked over to Michael to say goodbye.

He gave him a quick hug and said, "See ya, man," before lowering his voice and adding, "make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Hey! I heard that!" Lulu called out.

Michael laughed, saying, "Okay, bye."

He walked over to the door where Lulu was standing and wrapped an arm around her before they walked out the door together.

The car ride to the airport was full of small conversation. Neither knew what to say, as they were both dreading what was coming soon. Finally they pulled into the airport parking lot.

"Are you sure it isn't too late to change your mind?" Lulu asked hopefully as they walked to the terminal.

"Oh, trust me, I would if it were up to me," Dante replied kissing her passionately, ignoring the stares they received from other travelers.

"I'm going to miss this," Lulu whispered into his mouth.

Dante replied by pulling her into a tight embrace, holding her as close as he could.

"I love you so much. More than life itself," he murmured in her ear.

"I love you, too," she said.

They were interrupted by a female voice on the intercom. "_Flight 34C at 8:08 now boarding."_

"Mmm, that's my cue," he said reluctantly.

Lulu sighed and replied, "Okay. Promise me you'll stay safe?"

"I promise I'll try," he replied. "But I don't know if I can survive without you."

"You'd better. Because I'll be waiting for you," she warned.

"Good. I'll be home as soon as I can," he said pulling her into another kiss.

"Bye," she said when they pulled apart.

"Bye," he responded, starting to walk away. "Love you."

"Love you," Lulu said as she turned to leave.

She knew this would be the most difficult time of her life.

* * *

Author's Note: Tell me what you think! Should I continue? Any suggestions? The next update should be by next Thursday at the _most_, hopefully sooner.


	2. Going Through The Motions

Author's Note: Month 2 as in two months after Dante left. Brenda is taking over Crimson soon because Kate is leaving for another magazine.

* * *

Month 2

Dante walked into the office of Benjamin Garrot, infamous British mob boss.

"Christopher Foreman," he began, using Dante's undercover name. After a pause, he continued. "You've been with us for about two months now, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Dante replied.

"Mmm. So, I think I can trust you now, yes?" he asked.

"If you say so," Dante said.

"Okay. I need you to take care of something for me. There is a warehouse a few blocks from here and I need you to make sure everything that's supposed to be there is there, and that nothing's there that isn't supposed to be. Anything other than weapons, drugs or whiskey, and I need to know. Just get back here as soon as possible, and if there's anyone inside, get rid of them," he finished. Benjamin gave Dante the directions and dismissed him.

Dante exited the office and went out onto the street. He sat down on a bench and ran his hand through his hair. He just needed a few minutes free of mob-related chaos before getting back to work. He let his mind wander back home to Port Charles and his family, mostly Lulu.

He remembered the day he took Michael and Morgan to the Yankees game, the day they moved into their new house, the family dinner he and Lulu had hosted, their wedding day, their honeymoon... The memories went on and on. He wished more than anything he could get over with this mission and get home to his wife so they could get on with their lives without all of the drama of his job.

He looked up and saw a young couple walking down the street, his hand resting on her very pregnant stomach. They smiled at each other, and Dante could feel the happiness radiating off of them. _That should be us_, he thought. He felt horrible, leaving Lulu alone, especially when they had just gotten married a month ago and they should be starting their family now.

He got up and headed over to the warehouse, hoping to God he could get this investigation over with as soon as possible.

* * *

Lulu awoke to morning light streaming through the windows. Squinting her eyes open, she reached out for Dante on the other side of the bed, wanting to pull herself closer to him, but she couldn't find him. She opened her eyes all the way, and reality came rushing back to her. _Dammit, why does this happen every day?_ she asked herself. Sitting up, she crossed her legs and pulled his pillow onto her lap, trying to breathe in the hint of his scent that remained. She could feel the tears in her eyes and tried to blink them back, but a few managed to escape before she could control them.

She walked into the hallway and peeked into Michael's room; he was still asleep. He finally had a day off from community service at the hospital, so she let him sleep and went downstairs to get ready for work.

A half hour later, Lulu arrived at Crimson, her heels clacking loudly on the floor.

Maxie looked up from her computer and said, "About time you got here!"

"Sorry... I'm only fifteen minutes late," she replied.

"Still, we have the spring issue deadline tomorrow, plus there's like a million shipments coming in today and we have to send half of them off, then we have a meeting at four and you know Kate's going to be on top of us all day, especially since Brenda's taking over in a few weeks and this is the last time she'll ever get to torture us so we're going to be busy all day!" she babbled.

"Maxie, okay, calm down, we got this covered," Lulu said, trying to convince herself more than her friend.

Maxie let out a loud moan and swung around in her chair to face her friend.

"What?" Lulu asked.

"How come you can be all level-headed and stuff when your husband is off in England risking his life and I'm such a mess?" she exclaimed.

"Oh, Maxie, it's okay. You're always a mess," she said, earning a glare from Maxie before she added, "And it's not so easy for me, either."

Maxie rolled her chair over to Lulu's desk and said more quietly,"I know it's hard, Lulu. I'm sorry. Is there anything you need?"

"Thanks, Maxie, but no, I'm okay," she replied. Just then the elevator doors opened and Kate stepped out with Brenda following.

"Maxie! Lulu! What do you think you're doing?" she shouted.

"I was just trying to help her-" Maxie stammered.

"With what? If it's not work-related, don't do it. Do you hear me? We are very busy, and if you can't keep up I can find new assistants! Get back to work!" she yelled and walked into her office. Maxie braced her heel on the edge of Lulu's desk and pushed herself back across the room

Brenda sent her an apologetic look, and Lulu gave her a wave of the hand to indicate it wasn't her fault.

Turning back to the computer screen, Lulu tried to get some work done so her life wouldn't fall apart even more.


	3. Wish You Were Here

Author's Note: Kristina is 21, Michael is 22. No other ages change.

* * *

Month 4

"Oh, come on, Lulu, you have to come!" Ethan said over the phone.

"Ethan, I..." she trailed off.

"Just because Dante isn't here doesn't mean you have to completely shut yourself out from the world."

"I'm not!" she objected.

"Oh, yes, you are. And anyway, when's the last time we got Nikolas to come to Jakes? A long time ago, and I don't think he's going to be back for a while. Everyone's gonna be there, and we all want you to come," Ethan said.

Lulu sighed. "Fine. I'll be there at 8," she agreed before hanging up on her brother.

* * *

Dante crouched behind a large crate clutching his gun for dear life. _Bam, Bam, Bam! _Three shots whizzed by the crate. Dante took a deep breath and tried to calm down. _Dear God, please don't let me die now. Just let me see my wife one more time. Or a bunch more times, if it's cool with you. _Stepping out from behind the crate, he fired four shots at the man on the other side of the room. Dante hit him in the leg and he collapsed to the ground. He walked over and ripped the gun from his hands."

"Where are the others?" he asked, pulling a rope off of one of the crates and tying the man's hands behind his back.

"What?" the man asked panting.

"Where are the rest of your men?" Dante asked louder, prodding his head with his gun.

"There are none. I was sent here to steal a shipment. I've only been with the organization for a few weeks, they don't trust me!" he said.

"Who do you work for?" Dante asked.

"The Lopez brothers," he replied. Dante ripped the belt from the man's pants and tied it above the bullet wound in his leg.

Dante pulled the phone out of the man's pocket. "Call an ambulance. This never happened, I was never here. Get yourself something from witness protection program. Never show your face around the Lopez brothers again, or the mob to begin with. I could have killed you, remember?"

The man nodded and Dante left. He walked a few blocks before signaling for a cab. _ I had better get paid well for this..._

_

* * *

_

Lulu arrived at Jakes fashionably late. She was a bit worried about being a third, no, seventh wheel. Lucky and Maxie, Nikolas and Elizabeth, and Ethan and Kristina would all be there. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and looked around to find her brothers and their girlfriends.

"Hey, Lulu!" she heard, and turned around to see Kristina bounding towards her. Before she knew it she had been pulled into a tight hug by her half sister-in-law/brother's fiancée. She and Krsitina had become extremely close lately, especially since she and Ethan had gotten engaged.

Returning the hug, Lulu replied, "Hey, Krissy, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. We're just glad you're here. I mean, ever since Dante left, you've been kinda closed off, if you know what I mean," talking in a low tone at the end.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard," she said.

"Hey, little sis, how's it going?" Lucky asked as Lulu sat down at the table.

"Hey, guys," Lulu said and Liz passed her a beer.

"So, Nik, you finally decided to come out of that princey little world of yours?" she taunted.

"So, Lulu, you finally decided to come out of that lonely little world of yours?" he fired back and Lulu made a face at him.

"You guys wanna play some pool? Two couples per team," Maxie said, and everyone got up from their chairs and went to the pool table.

"I don't have anyone for a partner," Lulu reminded her.

"I'll be your partner," a low, raspy voice said in her ear. Lulu whipped around to see an extremely creepy dude staring back at her. His eyes popped out of his head and his mouth was fixed in a cheesy smile. His black, greasy hair was slicked back against his head and he wore ratty, outdated clothes.

"Uh, no, thanks," Lulu said with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, come on, you sexy little bitch, it'll be fun," he said, pressing himself up against him and covering one of her breasts with his hand. Lulu could feel and smell his hot, disgusting breath on her face.

"Get off of me, freak!" she shrieked, causing her brothers to notice and come running.

Lucky and Ethan pulled the creep off of their sister and pushed him towards a table until he was lying on it with his feet still on the floor.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Nikolas shouted in his face.

"What, you want some of that ass to yourself?" the guy asked chuckling.

Ethan punched him in the face, drawing blood. "Stay the hell away from her!"

"What's it to you?" he asked.

"She's our sister!" Lucky shouted and all three men began beating the man to a pulp.

"Who's that?" Coleman, who had suddenly appeared asked.

"Some freak who was harassing Lulu," Maxie answered.

"Ah," Coleman replied.

A few moments of silence passed before Elizabeth asked, "Well, aren't you going to stop them?"

"Yeah, I guess. I just thought he needed a taste of the Spencer brothers," he said walking over to the fight. "All right, guys, break it up. Come on, knock it off!

The men pulled off the man and Lucky threw him on the floor and returned to the girls.

"That wasn't really necessary," Lulu told them. She wished Dante had been there to defend her, or to prevent it from happening in the first place.

"Oh, yes, it was," Lucky replied.

"Remember we did that to Dante, just not as bad, and he wasn't trying to rape you," Ethan said furiously.

"He wasn't-" Lulu objected, but Kristina cut her off.

"Lulu, he deserved it, okay?"

"Okay, fine, whatever. Let's just play some pool. I can beat all of you anyways, so the teams are pretty even," Lulu decided.

"Oh, really?" Nikolas asked picking up a pool cue.

"Yes, really," Lulu replied, smirking mischievously.


	4. A Peice of Me

Month 6

Dante woke up feeling alone and empty. He rolled over and thrust out his arm, hoping Lulu would magically appear on the bed. No such luck.

He picked up his cell phone and read the clock. 5:35. Who knew the mob business started so early? He glanced back at his phone and read the date. May 16.

"Oh, shit!" he said to himself. "Lulu's birthday," he moaned, falling back against the bed. Just one card, just one bouquet of flowers, just one phone call would have satisfied him, but no, his job was taking over his life.

He pulled himself off the bed and pulled on a gray t-shirt and a pair of jeans, resolving to get her something extra-special when he got back... _And m__aybe not something that can be wrapped,_ he thought with a mischievous smile.

Dante dragged himself out of his apartment and made his way to his car. Pulling into the parking lot, he got out of the car and entered the mob headquarters disguised as a restaurant.

"Morning, Foreman," Travis, one of Garrot's many bodyguards, greeted. Dante nodded in reply. "Boss wants to see you in his office. It's urgent, he says."

"Thanks," he said, trying to disguise his nervousness. He still hadn't forgotten the man he had shot and let go two months ago, and hoped to God that his identity hadn't been revealed. Walking into the office, he sat down in the uncomfortable wooden chair.

"I have a job for you," Benjamin said as soon as Dante sat down. "Apparently there's a mole in the agency. I need you go to this location," he said pointing to a spot on the map of London, "and stay there until he comes in. My source tells me he meets men from another organization there. Do _not_ let him see you, understand? I'm counting on you, Christopher," he said.

"Yes, sir," Dante replied in his perfected British accent. He was beyond confused.

* * *

Lulu walked downstairs, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she walked into the empty kitchen. As she went over to make herself a cup of coffee, she noticed a flash of red in the corner of her eye and she turned to face the table. On it was a red-wrapped box with a huge silver bow tied around it.

'_Dear Lulu, Sorry I wasn't there to say this in person, had to go to community service. I know you didn't want a present, but I really don't care. Thanks for being there for me when things got ugly. Happy birthday. Your Cousin/Brother-in-law, Michael,' _she read.

"Ugh!" she moaned. Lulu had told everyone not to get her anything, and not to throw her a party. But, of course, Maxie and Krstina had insisted, and they were all going out for drinks later. Unwrapping the gift, Lulu looked inside and saw silky green fabric. Pulling it out, she saw it was a stunning green evening gown. At the bottom of the box there was a note that said, '_Kristina picked it out. Doesn't mean she's not getting you anything_."

Lulu smiled, she would have to thank them both for this later. Even though she hadn't wanted anything, she loved it.

Lulu was opening the door when she noticed the huge stack of mail on the floor. Picking it up, she noticed most of them were cards from friends and relatives, and a few were for Dante. She placed those in the pile full of hundreds of envelopes for him and sat down on the couch to read the cards. Olivia and Steve, Jax Morgan and Josslyn, Bobbie, Maxie and Lucky, Elizabeth and Nikolas, Kristina and Ethan, Sonny, Antonella (Dante's grandmother), her mom, her dad, a few old friends, some people from work. Even though some of them would be seeing her later, they had apparently felt the need to mail her a card, as well. Lulu couldn't help but feel loved, but there was still a huge, gaping hole in her heart. Looking back down, she noticed there was even one from Carly in Shadybrook.

Opening it, she read, '_Dear Lulu, I'm sorry. I was such a horrible person. I mean, I thought Dante was a lying, cheating, evil, plotting, cold, terrible, backstabbing person! And I thought you were a betraying bitch! Hahaha! And now- well, now I'm in Shadybrook because of you! I don't belong here! __And to top it all off, you have my son. And I bet Jax is letting you put your slimy hands all over Josslyn and Morgan, too. What a mistake it was to make you her godmother. Revenge will follow, my dear, indeed it will. See you once I'm outta here! Happy birthday, bitch. You loving cousin, Carly.'_

Lulu shook her head sadly. She hadn't known her cousin was this crazy, but this time she had crossed the line from paranoid to disturbed and psychotic.

A white spot on the floor caught Lulu's eyes. She picked up another letter, with no return address. She tore open the envelope and pulled out a store-made card covered in butterflies and flowers. Inside it said _Happy birthday!_ in fancy printed letters, but next to it more words had been added on. It said, '_Happy birthday! to the sexy slut from Jake's.'_

"Oh, my God..." she mumbled, fumbling with the keys on the table and racing out to her car. She drove to the police station, planning to tell Lucky, but when she had gotten out of her car a piece of duct tape was placed over her mouth and she was thrown roughly into another car. Lulu screamed all the way there, but no one could help her. The car stopped in front of a brick building which she recognized as Olivia and Steve's apartment building.

She was dragged into the dark alley and spun around to face the revolting man.

"Miss me, princess?" he asked in his low, raspy voice. He brought her left hand up to his face and held it against the oily skin of his cheek. Startled, he pulled it back to examine it. "Married? You're married? Wow... well, that just makes it all the more fun to fuck you!" he said, yanking the ring off her finger and shoving it into his pocket. Lulu's face was devastated.

She punched him hard in the face.

"Oh, so we're gonna play rough, huh? I think I can deal with that," he said, slamming her against the brick wall. He grabbed her shirt and ripped it open, roughly grabbing her breasts through her red bra and shoved a hand painfully between her legs. Lulu let out a shriek and tore herself away from him, attempting to run, but he grabbed her leg and she fell to the floor, hitting her forehead on the concrete floor. She moaned in pain and he dragged her back to him.

"Playing hard to get? Sexy," he said, moving his mouth to her breast, and soaking her bra in his spit. Lulu brought a foot up and kicked him between the legs before slamming his head into the wall and then punching him in the nose.

"Ohhh, that's it! I've let you get away with all this, but now I've had it," he said menacingly. He threw her to the ground and punched her in the nose and face several times, causing blood to gush. At that point Lulu was in so much pain she barely made any noise of protest. A small clanging noise came from a can falling onto the floor from a garbage can and he turned to look. Lulu tried to take the opportunity to make a break for it, but he pulled her down and took her ankle in his hands and bending it. Lulu could tell it wasn't broken, but it was definitely sprained, enough to prevent her from getting away.

He punched her several more times in her stomach and kicked her multiple more before slamming her face-forward into the pavement.

"Hey!" they heard someone call. Lulu barely recognized the voice and turned her head to face it. She could vaguely make out the faces of Olivia and Steve.

"See you later, babe," he said, pulling out a knife and slashing her leg with it before running away. Lulu let out a low cry, not having any energy to put up a fight. Olivia and Steve had run over and bent down to examine her.

"Oh, my God! Lulu, is that you?" Olivia asked in astonishment. Lulu made an indistinct sound of agreement.

"Call 911," Steve instructed while he tried to assess Lulu. He pulled his belt out of its loops and tied it above the gash in her thigh. He silently thanked her for wearing a skirt, and saving him from having to see his step-daughter-in-law in her underwear.

"Lulu? Can you hear me?" he asked, and Lulu stirred slightly. He knew she was on the verge of unconsciousness. "Lulu, come on, you have to stay awake," he said, but Lulu had already blacked out.

The ambulance and police car pulled up a few minutes later. "What happened?" the short, Asian paramedic asked.

"She was beaten and suffered a knife wound in the leg. Didn't seem to do too much damage, but it's pretty deep. She's unconscious," he told her. Olivia, who had been sitting quietly near Lulu's head, looked up and noticed the cop who was standing above Lulu with his pen frozen above the pad of paper. It was Lucky.

"Oh, my God, Lucky," she said, standing up and walking over to him.

"Is that..." he trailed off with a horrified expression.

"Lulu," he answered.

"Fuck," he answered, and Olivia wrapped her arms around him. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he shouted, ripping himself away from her and punching the wall. "How could this happen? It's her freaking birthday!" he screamed, placing his forehead on the brick and next to it his clenched fists.

"Lucky, I-I know this is one of the worst things that could happen, but you getting mad isn't going to help her. We need to get her to a hospital, okay?" she said.

"She's ready for transport. Would anyone like to ride with her?" one of the paramedics asked.

"Go, Lucky. We'll meet you there," Steve said, wiping the blood on his hands on his jeans.

At the hospital, the waiting room was full with people- Maxie, Lucky, Nikolas, Elizabeth, Ethan, Kristina, Olivia, Bobbie, Michael, Morgan, Jax, and Josslyn.

Steve walked out of Lulu's room and said, "She's pretty badly beaten up. Bruises everywhere, three broken ribs, knife wound in her leg. But she's gonna be okay."

A sigh of relief swept throughout the room.

Lulu awoke to a huge amount of pain. She opened her eyes and was blinded by the light. She tried to sit up, but her body was rocked with intense pain and she fell back, clutching her head.

She reached out and pushed the button on her bed, paging a nurse or doctor.

Steve walked in and saw Lulu awake. Her face was swollen grotesquely, and she had cuts all over. He was reminded of the brutal beating that Kristina had taken two years earlier.

"Lulu, how are you feeling," he asked.

"Like shit," she replied bluntly, trying not to move her mouth too much.

He grinned at his daughter-in-law's attitude, never hiding the truth about herself. "I'll issue you some more pain meds. Do you think you're up for a visitor?"

"Sure. Just tell them not to pass out when they see my face," she said, having felt how misshapen it had become.

"Okay. I'll send someone in. There's about fifteen people out there waiting for you, you know," he said.

The corner of Lulu's mouth pulled up slightly. "Wonderful. I see a tiring day in my future."

Lucky entered his sister's room a few seconds after Steve had left. Without a word he gently wrapped her in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Lulu. You have no idea what it's like to get a call for a beating and find out it's your sister."

"Yeah, well..." she trailed off, staring down at her hands. She suddenly noticed that her ring was gone, and burning pain ripped throughout her face as tears began to flow.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

Lulu shut her eyes. "Lucky, he took my wedding ring."


	5. Terrible

Author's Note: This chapter was SO frustrating to write! Not the content of it, but physically writing it. First, I get most of the second half done when the tropical storm in my area decides to mess up my internet- and *fabloosh* my writing is gone. Luckily my TV still worked so I was able to watch General Hospital after school. So the next morning before school I get about 3/4 of what I had the night before done, and then the weather messes with my computer again and I lose it. At least I got this note saved! Gonna try again- wish me luck.

Curse you, World Wide Web!

Just kidding, Internet- you rock.

* * *

Month 8

"I don't know anything. I'm telling you, you have the wrong guy!" Dante shouted.

He received a swift slap to the face.

"Sure we do. Who do you work for, Falconeri? If the name on your passport is real," Garrot sneered.

Dante struggled against the restraining ropes. His ass was in a lot of pain, metal chairs were not very comfortable.

"I told you, I don't work for anyone. How long have I been loyal to you? Seven months? Eight?" It was actually two hundred thirty three days to be exact, two hundred and thirty three days since he had last kissed his wife.

"Shut the hell up with the excuses!" he shouted, spit flying onto Dante's face, causing him to close his eyes and grimace in disgust.

"I'm on your side!" Dante yelled.

"Oh, sure, you are. That's why I heard you discussing the organization with the Serious and Organized Crime Agency."

"I was lying to get them on our side!" Dante objected.

"No, you weren't. There's no use lying, Detective. We've already searched your bag," Garrot said pulling out a few documents. "Dante Falconeri, detective at the Port Charles Police Department in New York. And even better..." he said, pulling a small object out of his pocket. "Married. Now, it wouldn't be too hard to figure out who you're married to, would it?"

"Leave her out of this! She doesn't have anything to do with this," he growled.

"Oh, how sweet. But, it's too late," he said pulling out a photograph of Lulu. "Lesley Lu Falconeri, assistant to Kate Howard at Crimson Magazine in Port Charles, New York."

"No! Don't bring her into this, please! She doesn't deserve it. Please," he begged, his eyes starting to tear.

"Oh, she's already in it. About two months ago she was attacked by one of our guards, although he didn't know who she was, then. Coincidence, i guess it was," he smiled. Dante fumed in his chair, his face starting to turn red. "She's a feisty one, too. Put up quite a fight, broke his nose." Dante felt the smallest pang of pride. Garrot lowered his voice to a whisper and said, "But, no matter, she had it a lot worse."

Dante felt something drop into his lap. Looking down, he saw it was a knife with dried blood on it.

"It's her blood. Wouldn't be too hard to come up with, say, a medical record, birth certificate..."

"Please. Don't. Please, I'm begging you," he pleaded.

"Hmm, now that you put it that way... no, I think she'll make a wonderful addition to this game. And, if she dies in the process, we can locate your mother, maybe your little sister or brothers... the possibilities are endless!" he said with excitement.

Dante repeatedly cursed himself for dragging his family into this mess.

* * *

Lulu sat on the couch flipping through the TV channels. She stopped on the World News, hoping to hear something about Crimson's latest donation to a charity for less-fortunate children in Africa. Ever since Brenda had taken over Crimson, they had been doing a lot more to help the less fortunate. She waited impatiently for the announcer to finish her report about the birthing patterns of domestic chickens.

"In other news, the magazine company Crimson had made an extremely generous donation to UNISEC, (Author's Note: I strongly encourage you to donate to this charity!) taking a huge step towards helping solve the poverty crisis in Africa. The company was represented at a recent event in New York City by Owner Brenda Barrett, former representative of ASEC, and her two assistants Maxie Jones and Lulu Spencer."

Lulu squealed and clapped her hands together as her and her colleagues' faces appeared on screen. Just then, Michael walked through the front door; getting home from Community Service at the hospital.

"Hey Lulu, do you know..." he began before trailing off when he saw his cousin's face on TV.

"No, no, shh shh shh!" she said, holding up a finger and leaning towards the television. Michael left the room when he heard the newscaster saying something about the fashion world that he didn't understand.

"Now for some more saddening news," the woman said. "In London today, several men were killed today in relation to Benjamin Garrot, infamous British mob boss. A suspect has been identified, but was not able to be tracked down." Lulu froze as a picture of Dante popped up on the screen. "The British Police Force is using any means necessary to take him down." A blurry video played showing several men dressed in black and wearing bullet proof vests busting down a door to an old looking building and shooting their guns wildly and repeatedly.

"No... no! They're going to kill him!" she whispered to herself, wondering how the British Police had not been warned about Dante's mission. She felt the scalding hot tears pour down her face, burning her skin. For once she decided to let her emotions take over and she broke down in tears, falling onto her side and smothering her face with a pillow.

The ringing of the phone interrupted Lulu's crying, but she ignored it and continued to sob. Michael answered the phone from the kitchen where he had been eating lunch.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Michael? It's Lucky. I need you to put Lulu on the phone right now," he said urgently.

"Um, sure, okay. Is everything okay with Dante?" he asked.

"Well, no, not exactly. Look I really need to talk to Lulu. I'm sure she'll tell you what's going on," Lucky reasoned.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," he said, walking into the living room to see Lulu crying into a pillow. "Uh, give me a minute, she's... she's not... well, she's kind of crying her eyes out at the moment. Just give me a sec."

"Lulu? Are- are you okay?" Michael asked concernedly, but still keeping a comfortable distance. He still wasn't ready for these kinds of things.

"Huh?" she asked, tears apparent in her voice. Wiping her tears off of her face, she said, "Yeah. Fine. Who's on the phone?"

"Lucky. He wants to talk to you. I think it's about Dante," he said, handing her the phone.

"Hello?" she asked, sounding much more nervous than upset. "Lucky? What's wrong? Did he get shot? Is he dead?" she questioned, her imagination getting the best of her. Michael's body stiffened at the last two possibilities, he hadn't thought of that part.

"No, he's not dead. Or hurt. I think," he said, and Lulu visibly relaxed, as did Michael. He sat down on the love seat.

"You think? Come on Lucky, just tell me what happened."

"Dante's cover had been blown. And he's been made their prisoner," Lucky said.

"What?" she screeched. "No!" she shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "How do you even know this?" she asked, hoping that Lucky was mistaken.

"Well, of course you know how he has those chains around his neck? We gave him another one, and it had this tiny button on the back that alerts us. He was instructed to push it if something went wrong."

"Oh," she said, at a loss for words.

"Lulu, just promise me you won't go try to rescue him."

"Sure. Bye," she said. _Wow, Lucky. For my brother, you don't know much about me._


	6. Defiance

Chapter 6: Defiance

"Is everything okay?" asked Michael.

"Ah... no. No, nothing is okay," said Lulu.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

"Uh, well, Dante's cover got blown somehow," she began and watched as Michael's eyebrows shoot up his face, "and the... _people_, if they can be classified as that, took him as a prisoner."

"Oh my God, I..." he said, but didn't know how to continue.

"Yeah, I know. And that's why I'm going to London to get him back," Lulu decided, grabbing her coat and purse and heading towards the door.

"Oh, I don't think so."

"Look, Michael, I know we're family, but, no offense, you don't get to tell me what to do," she said trying not to offend him.

"Lulu, I'm not trying to, like, restrain you or anything, but you can't go. It's way too dangerous, and do you think Dante would want you to do this?"

"Just because we're married doesn't mean he gets to tell me what to do, either. And anyway, Dante doesn't have any say in this, because he's not here, and that's why I have to go. It's pretty simple, I think."

"Lulu, what if something happens to you? Then how will Dante live with himself?" Michael reasoned, trying as hard as possible to talk her out of her crazy plan.

"I'm a Spencer, in case you haven't noticed. I can handle myself!" she said, turning towards the door.

"Lulu! Just wait, please!" she turned back around. "Please, don't go. You could get yourself killed!"

"Yeah, and the earth could crack open and I could fall in and get burned to a crisp. I'm going, got it? Good. I'll see you when I get back. DO NOT follow me, understood?"

"How are you even going to find out where he is?" asked Michael. Michael wasn't trying to be so protective and motherly of her, but he didn't want to see her get hurt. They had become much closer over the last year.

"I have ways of getting what I want, Michael. Just let me go, I'll be fine," she said.

"Lulu, don't do this. These people are dangerous, even more than my father."

"Jeez, why the hell are you being so protective of me all of a sudden? What are you, my dad? And what do you know about them?"

"Lulu, I just don't want to see you get hurt. You're my sister in law and cousin, and I don't know if this comes as a surprise to you, but I actually care about you. My dad has dealt with them before," he said.

"Listen, thanks for caring about me, but I honestly don't give a damn what you say; I'm going. Twenty bucks says I get back without a scratch." She turned and marched purposely out of the house, her heels clacking loudly.

* * *

When Lulu got to the Police Department, she put on her best distraught face and approached Lucky's desk.

"Lulu? What are you doing here?" he asked, looking up from a map of London with several dots he had drawn with a red pen.

"I- I just really needed to talk to you," she said, trying to sound like she was about to cry.

"Of course, you can talk to me any time, you know that. I'm guessing you want to talk about Dante?"

"Yeah. I'm just so worried about him, I don't know what to do. I mean, I saw the news report, and those- those men were-," she heaved a hitched breath, "they were shooting everywhere, and- and what if they shoot Dante?" she began to cry, slumping forward in her chair.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he said, walking over to wrap an arm around her.

"How? What if Dante dies, and I don't even get to see him again?"

"Don't worry. We have dozens of people looking for him. They're not going to rest until they find him. Come on, Dante's strong. You of all people know that."

Lulu nodded. "Yeah, I know. Do- do you think you could get me some coffee or something?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course. I'll be right back," said Lucky, genuinely concerned about his baby sister. As soon as she was out of his sight, she scrambled over to the other side of Lucky's desk, whipping out her phone. She quickly snapped a few pictures of the map he had on his desk, thanking God that he had left it there and she didn't have to go to extreme measures to find Dante's location. She flung herself back into her seat just as Lucky turned the corner and walked back to his desk.

"Thanks," she said, taking the foam cup from his hands and taking a sip.

"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you, Lu?" he asked.

"Are you going to London? To help get Dante back?"

"Yes," he said simply. "Soon. Unless, we can fix things by a few days from now."

"Can you tell me about the people who imprisoned him?" she asked.

"I don't think you want to know what they're capable of, you'll just worry more." Lulu let a tear slip down her face as she looked at her hands on her lap. Lucky sighed. "All right, I guess I can tell you some things. The mob bosses name is Benjamin Garrot. They... they kill people all the time, without a second thought. He's even worse than Sonny. No one's ever been able to get any dirt on them," he said, instantly regretting what he had told her.

Tears fell rapidly from Lulu's face, but this time they were real.

"Okay, I- I think I should go now," she said, getting up and gathering her things. Lucky got up as well and walked over to hug his sister.

"If you ever need to talk about it, feel free to come down here. I'll tell you if something comes up. Take care of yourself," he advised before he let her go and she walked out.

When Lulu got into her car, she examined the picture of the map. Zooming in, she was able to read Lucky's fortunately neat handwriting. There were six points on the map. One was labeled 'London Heathrow Airport', the second 'London Police Headquarters', another was 'Crime scene'. Lulu assumed this was the location where the British government suspected he had killed a bunch of people. Looking back down, she looked at the other three points on the map, which both had the same label: 'Garrot's HQ?'.

She debated with herself over how to actually get to London. She came up with three options: buy a plane ticket, get Nikolas to lend her a plane, and get Sonny to lend her a plane. She doubted she would be able to get a flight from the plane company by tomorrow, and she didn't really want to go to Sonny for anything.

Upon arriving at Wyndemere, Lulu asked Alfred to get Nikolas. A few minutes later, he came out of his office and was pleased to see her there.

"Lulu," he said, hugging her. "What can I do for you?"

"I need a favor. Can you possibly give me a flight to London by tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. Can I ask why?"

"Oh, Brenda scheduled an extremely last-minute business trip, and we can't get any tickets on a commercial airline," she lied.

"All right. What time is good for you?" he asked, pulling out is phone to alert his pilot.

Lulu glanced at the clock in the corner. "How about tonight at eight?" she suggested.

"Perfect. I'll tell my pilot."

"Thank you so much," he said, hugging her brother.

"Anything for you, Lu. Have a nice trip," he said.

Turning to leave, she sent a text to Maxie. i_f anyone asks, im on a business trip 2 london. ill tell u EVERYTHING when i get back._

She left the island with a triumphant smile on her face- everything was going according to plans.

* * *

Author's Note: Tell me what I messed up on. Because I know there's something.


	7. Good Intentions

Author's Note: SOOOOO sorry for the extremely long wait! I am sorry to say I lost interest in this for a while. I am going to try to pay equal attention to each of my stories from now on. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time between my AP math class, lots and lots of homework, the school play and practicing the song from hell on my flute. *Sigh* I hate when real life interferes.

*******Scroll to the bottom for the update!*******

* * *

Good Intentions

Lulu sighed and leaned back against her enormous, cushy plane seat, pushing back the plate of remains from her dinner. She tried to get comfortable, but as easy as it should have been, it was virtually impossible. Her eyes focused on her bag, which contained sunglasses, a dark wig, a very mini skirt, some fishnet stockings, a fake passport and the small gun Dante had given her 'in case of emergency'. She went over her plan in her mind, checking for the millionth time that she had everything she needed to accomplish what needed to happen. Part of her was thrilled because she was on her way to get Dante back, but another part of her was scared to death because she could very well die in the process.

It had been a while since she had gone on an adventure - since the time she had went to Ireland with Dante. These types of things brought out her Spencer side, giving her an adrenaline rush that caused her to remind herself of her father. But this excursion wasn't one that offered money, jewels, power or, as in her dad's case, booze; it was one that offered either life or death.

"Mrs. Falconeri, we have about 30 minutes until landing," the captain's voice came over the speakers. She got up and picked up her bag, going into the surprisingly large bathroom to change her clothes. She was now the brunette Cassandra Bishop, a drug-addicted prostitute from Maine. She wore the large dark sunglasses, short skirt, fishnets, stilettos, and had tied her button down shirt just above her bust so that it revealed the top of her black bra and way too much skin for her liking. She pulled on her trench coat to avoid stares on the street. Tucking the gun and passport in the inside pocket of her coat so she could leave the bag on the plane, she exited the bathroom and waited for the plane to land.

After an unfortunate bumpy landing, Lulu left the jet quickly, thankful that the pilot had not bothered to say good-bye and notice her change in hair color. She moved quickly through customs without any problems; the man who checked her passport seemed too distracted to do a thorough check. After exchanging some money she hailed a cab - they looked nothing like the ones in New York City - and gave the driver the address of one of the spots on Lucky's map.

When the cab arrived at the location, the driver gave her a questioning look. "If you don't mind my asking, what's a nice Yankee woman like you doing at a place like this?" he asked, gesturing to the old warehouse with several broken windows in one of the shadier parts of the city.

"It's for my job," she replied. "I'd rather not go into detail."

"All right then, miss. Try not to get into any trouble."

"Thanks for your concern," she said, not wanting to spend all day talking to him.

"Cheers," he said before driving off.

She looked up at the cloudy sky through her sunglasses, hoping it wouldn't rain, and hesitantly approached the building. She poked her head through the surprisingly unlocked doors and saw dozens and dozens of boxes and crates, which she assumed were full of all sorts of illegal things. She slowly went inside, flinching at the sound of her heels, and tried to detect any signs of life in the warehouse. Her hand went to the pocket inside her coat, keeping her gun there but holding it for dear life. She tried to control her breathing as she ventured deeper into the unknown. Suddenly there was a loud crash and she spun around, holding her gun out, pointing it at whoever was behind her.

She looked down and noticed it was a broken bottle, which was probably filled with some kind of alcohol and had fallen from one of the boxes nearby. Her hand went to her chest in relief and she tucked her gun away before exiting the building, deciding that this was not the place she was looking for. The next location was several blocks away, in the a more decent part of London, but since there was probably no chance of a cab driving by where Lulu was she decided she had to walk. It took almost a half hour to get there, and her feet were aching from her shoes. She went inside the fancy-looking restaurant, sure her heart would beat out of her chest any second now. Her breathing shaky, she approached the podium where the waiter was standing.

"Hello, miss, may I recommend the braised pork loin, or maybe the roasted duck with raspberry glaze?" the young man asked. He reminded her uncannily of Conan, the waiter at Sonny's restaurant.

'Oh my God, holy crap, I can't believe I'm doing this,' she thought to herself. "Oh, no, I'm not here for food," she said, trying her best to sound like a 'bloody stupid American'. "I need to see Mr... Garnett?"

"Oh," he said, crestfallen. "You mean Mr. Garrot?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess so. I heard he has some of that stuff that's, you know, hard to get?" she said slowly.

"Right," he said. "I'm afraid Mr. Garrot isn't in at the moment, but you can go talk to Mr. Gaines."

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Mr. Garrot's, er, assistant, shall we say. I'm sure he can connect you with whatever you're looking for."

"Oh, okay!" she said, trying to sound excited.

"Just down the hall, to the right," he said.

She walked down the dimly lit hallway, literally shaking in her shoes as she untied the belt on her jacket. She had to remind herself that, contrary to the saying, this adventure was not about the journey, it was about what was waiting at the end. She would finally have Dante back. After eight whole months without her husband, she would finally have him back.

With one last shiver, she knocked on the dark mahogany door. She could hear loud, heavy footsteps, coming from what she expected were extremely expensive shoes. The doorknob turned slowly, and Lulu was shocked by how much this situation resembled a scene in a thriller movie.

The door opened and she came face to face with the man who had made the scar on her left leg.

* * *

The elevator door to the Crimson office opened, and Maxie turned to see her husband Lucky step off.

"Hey, babe! What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Can't I stop by to see my wife and sister sometimes?" he asked, kissing her on the lips. "Speaking of Lulu, where is she?"

"She was sent on a last minute business trip," Maxie said convincingly.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really," she said, hoping Lucky didn't realize she was lying.

"And where is this business trip?"

"Paris," she said.

"Maxie, no matter how good of a liar you are, I can always tell when you're lying to me. Now how about you tell me where she really is?"

"A business trip," she insisted, focusing her eyes on her computer screen.

"Maxie, what I'm about to tell you is for your ears only." She turned to him, always up for some good gossip. "You know how Dante was in England undercover? Well, apparently his cover was blown and he's in a lot of danger. If Lulu tries to rescue him, she's putting her own life at risk. I need to know where she is, Maxie! Please," he pleaded.

"I - I don't know," she said truthfully.

"Maxie, this is serious!"

"No, Lucky, I'm not lying! She sent me a text," she said, pulling out her phone and showing it to him, "and she just said to tell everyone she was on a business trip and she would tell me everything later."

"Dammit," he said, running his hands through his hair.

"You think she went to London?"

"I'm 99% sure," he said. "I'm going after her, I bet Nikolas can lend me a jet."

"Wait! You're putting your life on the line just the same as Lulu! What makes you think you'll be fine and she won't? I'll come with you."

"Like hell you will! Maxie, this is extremely dangerous!"

"That's exactly why! Don't you trust me, Lucky?"

"Well, of course, but I'm not about to let you get yourself killed!"

"I'm not about to let _you_ get _your_self killed! How can you be so sexist? I'm just as able as you are, and if you try to deny me of that I'm not sure why I married you," she said.

"Maxie..." he said, not able to come up with an excuse.

"Okay, let's go," she said, getting up and walking towards the elevator, leaving Lucky no choice but to follow her.

Four hours later, they were flying somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Lucky hoping to God that Lulu hadn't already done something reckless and stupid.

* * *

A/N: After publishing this chapter I realized I probably should have added this second part, so, I did.


	8. Dusty Vents and Stupid Guards

Author's Note: Thankyouthankyouthankyou to the four people who reviewed last chapter: Lante4ever, a5cent, SomethingSpecial727, and amblue36. I will be thanking reviewers in every chapter now because I have had few of them lately in all of my stories. Remember, if you want a story to be updated soon, REVIEW! Even if you didn't like the chapter, reviews with constructive criticism are very much appreciated as well.

So so so so so so sorry for the uber long wait. I have been super busy with play practice, softball clinics, homework, have been in Puerto Rico since Saturday, and yesterday my internet access was all out of whack. I actually typed the ending of this on a plane. So I really do apologize, I have a full plate at the moment but that's really no excuse for ignoring things for so long. :(

* * *

Dusty Vents and Stupid Guards

Lulu felt her breath caught in her throat and the blood leave her face in utter shock. After disguising her emotions in a small cough, she tried to pull herself back together.

"Um, hi. Are you, like, in charge here?" she asked.

The man grunted. "What can I help you with, sweetheart?" he asked, distinctly American.

Lulu recoiled slightly as he undressed her with his eyes. "Oh, you're from America, too? Well, I heard Mr. Garnett-"

"Mr. Garrot." Lulu's nose wrinkled as his garlicky breath hit her face and she took a tiny step backwards.

"Yeah, well, I heard he could hook me up with some, uh, drugs."

"Uh-huh. What can I get you?"

She looked up, scanning the room for an emergency escape, maybe a window. She spotted a vent in the ceiling and almost jumped with joy. "Oh, uh, you know, the usual. Crack, weed, and all that."

"Right. And you got enough cash for this, right?"

"Oh, well, no. I was hoping to pay you with something even _better_ than money," she said, raising her eyebrows, although she wanted nothing more than to vomit.

He narrowed his eyes and grunted again. "You mean..."

"_Physical_ payment," she said, nearly gagging as she spoke.

The guy nodded, his greasy hair shining under the fluorescents. "Oh," he choked out, his eyes visibly fixed on her exposed chest.

* * *

Dante sat in a dark room, his arms, legs and waist tied to a chair and a strip of duct tape over his mouth. He was weakened from sitting in the same place for days, and his stomach growling with hunger. He tried to move his foot, but failed miserably as it had lost all feeling days ago. His cheek was probably permanently purple from being punched and slapped so many times. He had glanced up at the vent in the ceiling a dozen times each hour, wishing that he could free himself and climb through it, towards freedom, towards home.

He couldn't remember how many Hail Marys he had recited in his head or how many times he had struggled against the ropes that were so much more than ropes. They symbolized how trapped he was, how he was being kept from his home and his wife, and most of all, his failure.

* * *

"I'll, uh, go get your stuff. Just wait here," the repulsive man said, his large shoes clunking as he walked towards the door.

"Okay. Don't be too long," she said flirtatiously.

"Y - yeah," he stuttered before exiting.

Lulu immediately went into action, pulling a wooden chair under the vent in the ceiling. She opened the door a crack so that it would appear that she had wandered around the building. She stepped up onto the chair, teetering on her heels. She used the scissors on the desk to pry open the vent and slowly pulled herself up into the ventilation shaft. She wished she had Maxie's pixie-like figure when her hips barely fit through the rectangular hole. She coughed and swatted at the cobwebs as she pulled herself through, grabbing the vent cover she had put into the shaft and trying to wedge it back on.

"_Damn it_," she whispered to herself when it wouldn't reattach. She finally gave up, realizing she didn't have enough time to fix it and placed it over the hole, hoping no one would notice. She army-crawled through the narrow shaft, partially so she wouldn't make any noise and partially because she wasn't small enough to move any other way. After almost fifteen minutes she came to another vent. She peered through the slats and examined the room; Dante wasn't inside. Lulu's heart sank, but she realized that this wouldn't be as easy as it seemed in the movies, no matter how cliché her rescue was.

She pulled herself farther along, her arms already aching from the strain. She coughed again when she breathed in the dust but quieted herself when she realized that someone could hear her coughing. She knew that people were probably already looking for her, and she couldn't afford to be heard.

She came across yet another opening in the metal and looked through, but once again Dante was not in the room. She pulled herself through a dozen turns, passed a dozen more vent opening, saw another dozen spiders, before she came to a dead end that lead straight down. She looked down and saw it was almost a ten foot drop to the other shaft. She contemplated turning around bat realized that Dante could very well be in the basement of the building. She took off her shoes and left them on the ledge, she didn't really need them any more. Turning backwards and slowly lowered herself as far down as she could go, holding onto the ledge. For a moment she couldn't believe she was actually doing this; it was a pretty stupid plan, after all. Where was the assurance that she would get Dante back? Then she realized that she didn't need assurance, she was a Spencer, and they lived for the risk. She mentally counted to three and let go, her body freezing up as she fell for a few seconds. She landed lightly on her toes and hoped that no one heard her before continuing to crawl. Her knees felt like they had been massaged with a cheese grater, but she continued to pull herself along the metal floor.

Finally she came across another vent and peered inside, barely expecting anything after so much disappointment. But this time her heart jumped into her throat when she saw him, sitting in the middle of the dark room, tied to a chair with a piece of duct tape over his mouth. She quickly started working at the vent, trying to pry it off with her fingers but failing miserably. She remembered the keys in her pocket and pulled them out, wedging one between the vent and the floor of the duct. She shoved it in the corners until something snapped and she assumed one of the screws had come off. She repeated this twice and grabbed onto the side of the vent before yanking it full off and pulling it up into the duct. She peered over the edge of the rectangular hole and saw that Dante still hadn't noticed her, and, luckily, he was alone.

She poked her head farther through the gap and whispered, "_Dante._" When he didn't notice she repeated it, louder this time. "Dante!"

His head snapped up and his eyes widened in shock, a muffled gagging sound coming from his throat as he noticed that Lulu, his _wife, _was in the duct above him in the headquarters of a major crime lord of London.

Lulu held a finger to her lips and shook her head, begging him not to make any noise. She pulled herself back into the duct and stuck her legs through slowly lowering herself through so most of her body was sticking out. She let go and fell to the concrete floor before turning to Dante. She wanted nothing more than to shower him with passionate kisses, but she knew there were more important matters at hand,. For instance, there was the guard that would probably enter the room any minute now, see her rescuing Dante and kill them both.

She ignored the look on his face that said, _What the hell do you think you're doing here?_ and, with trembling fingers, undid the last of many knots in the ropes that bound him to the chair and pulled him to his feet. He stumbled and almost fell face-first to the floor, grabbing the chair to avoid falling. Lulu realized that his legs had fallen asleep from staying still for so long. With great difficulty, she hoisted his muscular frame onto the chair, keeping a secure hold on his waist. He reached up and grabbed onto the edges of the hole in the ceiling, thankful for the hours he had spent at the gym each week. He managed to pull himself all the way into the dusty vent. Lulu climbed up onto the chair and pulled herself up, her lower legs still sticking out of the hole.

Just as she was about to pull them through, the door flung open and two men burst in, searching the room for the woman who had infiltrated their headquarters. They noticed that their prisoner had disappeared and and there were a pair of feminine-looking legs protruding from the open vent in the ceiling. It only took them a few seconds to figure out what had happened, despite their collective stupidity. They opened fire on the cieling narrowly missing the young woman's legs. Lulu shrieked and pulled her legs the rest of he way through and she and Dante tried to scurry through the vent, but the space was too small and they didn't make much progress.

Lucky and Maxie arrived outside the building just in time to see it explode.


	9. In Your Arms Forever I Will Stay

In Your Arms Forever I Will Stay

Lulu flinched when she heard a loud crash and an angry shout. She peeled her eyes open and sat up quickly, making her head spin. She recognized Lucky and Maxie's living room in their apartment, and realized she was on their couch. She pulled back the blanket and made her way to the kitchen, where Maxie was standing over a dozen pots and pans scattered on the floor.

"Oh, finally you're awake! I thought you might have been in a coma for a while back then," she said. "I've only told your brother a dozen times we need new cabinets, but he just won't listen."

At the moment, Lulu couldn't care less about Maxie's cabinetry needs. "How did I get here? What happened? Where's Dante?" She looked around, hoping to see him sitting at the kitchen table or talking to Lucky in the corner, maybe watching the Yankees game in the other room. But he wasn't anywhere.

Maxie frowned. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Dante and I crawling through the vents and... there was a guard, shooting at us, I think," she said, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to bring back the fuzzy memory.

"Well, the bullets somehow set off an explosion. Me and Lucky got there just in time to see the building explode, and we called the firefighters and police. You guys would have died, but the ventilation shaft protected you. They got you out... but it took so long, Lulu, we were so worried you would be dead."

"I'm not. Where is Dante?" she repeated.

"He's still in England."

"Why?" she asked angrily. "He's done there, isn't he?"

"I don't know, Lucky said something about a follow-up report or something... No one would tell me much."

Lulu's voice was already raw. "When is he coming back?" she asked.

"I'm sorry. I don't know," she said. Maxie pulled Lulu into a hug. "I'm really glad you're alive, by the way."

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

Dante was getting tired of the endless stream of government officials that had come in to question him in the last three days. None of them seemed to believe him when he told them his wife had broken into the headquarters of a top British mob boss and almost managed to escape with him before the building blew up.

More importantly, he was sincerely concerned about losing his job. Blowing your cover was the number one thing not to do under any circumstances. He hoped Mac would understand, but honestly he didn't see that happening.

But more than anything, he wanted to go home.

* * *

Lulu looked like she had just rolled out of bed, maybe because she just had. She stood still amongst the buzzing crowd, full of people who each felt their need to get to their destination was the most important in the world. She was wearing a navy blue sweatshirt and sweatpants, a white tank top and a pair of old ratty converse - not to mention no makeup.

She clenched her palms and craned her neck, trying to see through the mass wave of people. She saw a glimpse of the door opening and stepped forward, shoving people aside, going faster and faster as she moved. She broke through the crowd and waited impatiently as dozens of strangers came out of the door, none of them who she was waiting for.

The people kept coming, but he wasn't one of them.

Almost twenty minutes had passed, and Dante was still no where to be found.

Was he even coming? Did he even get on the plane? More time passed and her doubt grew.

Soon the flight attendant was closing the doors and Lulu was standing there, alone. Where was he?

She was just turning to leave when the door opened again and she saw him standing there. Lulu turned back towards him and stepped forward slowly, her face breaking into a smile. She started running towards him and he dropped his bags to the floor, so he could take her up into his arms and hold her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, squeezing tight and burying her face in his shoulder. After a few seconds she pulled back and kissed him, not caring who saw. Reluctantly, she pulled back and jumped down.

She looked deep into those big brown eyes and said, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he breathed. He pulled her close again and ran his hand up and down her back. "I love you so much," he murmured.

"I love you, too." It felt so good to be back in his arms and to know that, after all this time, that was where she belonged.

* * *

Author's Note: Hm... to sequel or not to sequel? Honest opinions, please.

I really enjoyed writing this story, thank you SO much for sticking by me and supporting me. I truthfully couldn't and wouldn't have done this without all of you guys.


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